http://hd.engadget.com/2005/10/26/hd-beat-reader-review-sony-sxrd/ Engadget HD Comments for http://hd.engadget.com/media/feedlogo.gif http://hd.engadget.com en-us Copyright 2009 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/http://hd.engadget.com/2005/10/26/hd-beat-reader-review-sony-sxrd/http://hd.engadget.com/2005/10/26/hd-beat-reader-review-sony-sxrd/One last question. How would you rate the viewing angle? When I first saw this TV, it was in a Tweeter showroom, where all of the RP TV's, including the SxRD, were at eye-level when standing. Obviously they looked very good. However, when I went into the local Best Buy, their Sony SxRD was lower, on a TV stand, which dramatically affected the quality (very dark picture) until you sat down to again get at eye level. I know the vertical viewing angle on all RP's is worse than the horizontal. And it all depends on where you place the set, and how big your living room is, etc. Has this been a big issue or concern for you?]]>Nov 9th 2005 7:57PMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2005/10/26/hd-beat-reader-review-sony-sxrd/http://hd.engadget.com/2005/10/26/hd-beat-reader-review-sony-sxrd/
However I do want to point out that this TV cannot, through any input, accept a 1080p signal.]]>Oct 26th 2005 5:47PMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2005/10/26/hd-beat-reader-review-sony-sxrd/http://hd.engadget.com/2005/10/26/hd-beat-reader-review-sony-sxrd/Oct 27th 2005 1:06AMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2005/10/26/hd-beat-reader-review-sony-sxrd/http://hd.engadget.com/2005/10/26/hd-beat-reader-review-sony-sxrd/
I hate the way the frame/speakers look. Maybe it's different in person, but it looks hacked-together to me.

Am I the only one?]]>Oct 26th 2005 7:09PMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2005/10/26/hd-beat-reader-review-sony-sxrd/http://hd.engadget.com/2005/10/26/hd-beat-reader-review-sony-sxrd/I'd like to understand your assertion that this TV can not accept a 1080p signal. What will happen if 1080p signal (when available) comes in thru HDMI? Will it convert it? Will it not show the signal?

Or are you making the point that there are no 1080p sources as of yet.]]>Oct 26th 2005 9:08PMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2005/10/26/hd-beat-reader-review-sony-sxrd/http://hd.engadget.com/2005/10/26/hd-beat-reader-review-sony-sxrd/Yes I thought about the Samsung. One thing you can not see very well is that there is a glass shelf on top of the stand and under the Sony base that exactly fits the Sony base at 38in wide and 19" deep. The glass shelf hangs over the wooden frame by design. The Sony is secure on this stand.

I would need a new stand with the Samsung which would still get me in cheaper than the sony but then I'd have to move my setup in my house, move cable outlets etc.

I agree that the TV stand is a dubious criteria to make a decsion, but it afforded me the opportunity to try it out easily.]]>Oct 26th 2005 9:16PMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2005/10/26/hd-beat-reader-review-sony-sxrd/http://hd.engadget.com/2005/10/26/hd-beat-reader-review-sony-sxrd/You absolutely right about the speakers. Its probably the biggest thing that would cause me to take this set back and get something else. I wish they were removable at least.

]]>Oct 26th 2005 9:18PMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2005/10/26/hd-beat-reader-review-sony-sxrd/http://hd.engadget.com/2005/10/26/hd-beat-reader-review-sony-sxrd/
I'm not sure what image is displayed if a 1080p signal is sent, say through a PS3, but i know that the HDMI chips sony used in these sets cannot accept 1080p. On AVSforum.com owners have been attempting to send a 1080p signal from a PC through both vga and hdmi. So far no one has been successful.

If you, for example, used a blue-ray player to send a 1080p signal, the player would just convert the signal to 1080i and then the TV would convert is back to 1080p.]]>Oct 26th 2005 9:52PMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2005/10/26/hd-beat-reader-review-sony-sxrd/http://hd.engadget.com/2005/10/26/hd-beat-reader-review-sony-sxrd/
As said, not picking, it's a great set-up and I understand picking based on the shelving set-up, you have to have some criteria. Well written review. Good reading!

I don't think my 2 year old TV qualifies me to write a reader-review...maybe when I put that TV in the bed-room and upgrade the living room TV... The wife said the 50"er is looking small...can you believe it?!?]]>Oct 27th 2005 1:12AMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2005/10/26/hd-beat-reader-review-sony-sxrd/http://hd.engadget.com/2005/10/26/hd-beat-reader-review-sony-sxrd/
What I'm wondering is why Thom found plasma displays so expensive! I mean one of the best Plasmas available (Panasonic 50") is available for MSRP 3999 USD (online prices even lower).]]>Oct 27th 2005 2:38AMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2005/10/26/hd-beat-reader-review-sony-sxrd/http://hd.engadget.com/2005/10/26/hd-beat-reader-review-sony-sxrd/Yes I thought about the Samsung. One thing you can not see very well is that there is a glass shelf on top of the stand and under the Sony base that exactly fits the Sony base at 38in wide and 19" deep. The glass shelf hangs over the wooden frame by design. The Sony is secure on this stand.

I would need a new stand with the Samsung which would still get me in cheaper than the sony but then I'd have to move my setup in my house, move cable outlets etc.

I agree that the TV stand is a dubious criteria to make a decsion, but it afforded me the opportunity to try it out easily.]]>Oct 27th 2005 8:21AMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2005/10/26/hd-beat-reader-review-sony-sxrd/http://hd.engadget.com/2005/10/26/hd-beat-reader-review-sony-sxrd/Oct 27th 2005 8:41AMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2005/10/26/hd-beat-reader-review-sony-sxrd/http://hd.engadget.com/2005/10/26/hd-beat-reader-review-sony-sxrd/*dual DVI would provide similar results]]>Oct 27th 2005 2:20PMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2005/10/26/hd-beat-reader-review-sony-sxrd/http://hd.engadget.com/2005/10/26/hd-beat-reader-review-sony-sxrd/
Size... HUGE, it took a few days to get used to the size of the unit, but it has started to blend in with time. The quality of the picture is STUNNING it is as good if not better than my original Sony HDTV tube screen. I could gush all day about this set....

I have had no luck either with getting a 1080p signal into the unit (not really a huge deal) I have opted for 1080i out put from HTPC and it looks just fine. I could get a 1080p signal in with the Sharp LCD i had prior but really didn't see a markable enough difference to fret over the Sony not doing it. With so little (WMV HD) content available currently it just seemed like too much future proofing ;)

If you want/can/need/wish/covet this set, I totally understand

Randy]]>Oct 27th 2005 10:49AMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2005/10/26/hd-beat-reader-review-sony-sxrd/http://hd.engadget.com/2005/10/26/hd-beat-reader-review-sony-sxrd/Oct 27th 2005 2:02PMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2005/10/26/hd-beat-reader-review-sony-sxrd/http://hd.engadget.com/2005/10/26/hd-beat-reader-review-sony-sxrd/Its not an audio rack. Its a TV Stand. The TV on it before was heavier - it was a 36in CRT.]]>Oct 27th 2005 5:57PMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2005/10/26/hd-beat-reader-review-sony-sxrd/http://hd.engadget.com/2005/10/26/hd-beat-reader-review-sony-sxrd/So what you are saying is that if i hooked up both of the hdmi outputs from a ps3 into the two inputs on the sxrd i would be able to dispay a true 1080p signal. I'm not sure i completely understand because a) each hdmi on the sxrd is for a seperate video input, and b) the two hdmi outputs on the ps3 are meant to be used to form a 32:9 picture on two hdtv placed directly beside eachother.

I guess my question is: how would you tell the tv two display both of the hdmi inputs at the same time?]]>Oct 27th 2005 5:36PMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2005/10/26/hd-beat-reader-review-sony-sxrd/http://hd.engadget.com/2005/10/26/hd-beat-reader-review-sony-sxrd/I assume it is a digital audio output, to a reciever, for someone using a cable card.

Also, i dont thing these tvs are able to send a digital audio out that was recieved through hdmi. I may be wrong on this though.]]>Oct 27th 2005 5:37PMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2005/10/26/hd-beat-reader-review-sony-sxrd/http://hd.engadget.com/2005/10/26/hd-beat-reader-review-sony-sxrd/Yes I know there are good plasma's available at these prices. I was interested in getting a 1080p set with HDMI. Although, I'm now investigating whether that was worth it...

The plasmas i looked at were mostly more expensive. Some very much more.]]>Oct 27th 2005 6:04PMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2005/10/26/hd-beat-reader-review-sony-sxrd/http://hd.engadget.com/2005/10/26/hd-beat-reader-review-sony-sxrd/I will test to see if optical audio out works via HDMI in.]]>Oct 27th 2005 6:07PMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2005/10/26/hd-beat-reader-review-sony-sxrd/http://hd.engadget.com/2005/10/26/hd-beat-reader-review-sony-sxrd/Oct 27th 2005 11:56PMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2005/10/26/hd-beat-reader-review-sony-sxrd/http://hd.engadget.com/2005/10/26/hd-beat-reader-review-sony-sxrd/Good question. Dual HDMI-A's connections (or DVI's) would be the only way to get the full 1080p signal (as proven by Kpluck's find), but if the set isn't set up to be configurable in that way, then maybe that is why people are saying it isn't really a full 1080p display. If not, that is a serious disappointment. The word 1080p isn't even mentioned in the manual at all (which may be the biggest evidence that this may be the case). Hopefully somebody can get a straight answer some day.]]>Oct 30th 2005 2:49PMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2005/10/26/hd-beat-reader-review-sony-sxrd/http://hd.engadget.com/2005/10/26/hd-beat-reader-review-sony-sxrd/Regarding your comment about the non-HD channel viewing being unacceptable, were you using a DVI to HDMI connection as would be available on a High Def satellite recevier? Just wondering if that makes a difference, or if that is no better than using a component connection from a non-HD recevier. I was told that since you are getting a digital signal with satellite T.V., that using the DVI out would send a true digital signal to the TV. So even with non-HD channels the picture quality should still be better. Unfortunelty when you go into a Best Buy or Circuit City, they typically only show you a DVD or HD channel, so it always looks good. Until cable and satellite companies start carrying more HD channels, most of us will be watching non-HD programming 90-95% of the time, so this becomes an important consideration before plunking down 4 grand.]]>Oct 30th 2005 12:32PMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2005/10/26/hd-beat-reader-review-sony-sxrd/http://hd.engadget.com/2005/10/26/hd-beat-reader-review-sony-sxrd/The answer is no. The optical out port is only for Dolby Digital coming in thru the TV feed. Not, HDMI.]]>Oct 30th 2005 12:31AMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2005/10/26/hd-beat-reader-review-sony-sxrd/http://hd.engadget.com/2005/10/26/hd-beat-reader-review-sony-sxrd/Yes. I saw the manual where it states input resolutions for HDMI. It does seem that this set does not have the ability to input 1080p via HDMI. I am investigating further, although I'm fairly certain at this point that is the case. If I confirm this, the set will go back. I was really intent on buying something that is a bit more future proof.
There is a longer discussion about the merits of displaying full 1080p vs deinterlacing 1080i but I'm not sure it makes sense to spend 4K on a set that won't be able to accept all the latest content 2 years from now.

Its sad because the picture is so amazing on this set when viewing HD content.
]]>Oct 30th 2005 12:47AMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2005/10/26/hd-beat-reader-review-sony-sxrd/http://hd.engadget.com/2005/10/26/hd-beat-reader-review-sony-sxrd/My comment about Non-HD channels being unacceptable was in reference to watching it in wide mode (streched to 16:9). It is watchable in 4:3. The Sony allows you to set a default setting for each type of content so when 4:3 content comes on, it shows it centered and HD conent fills the screen in 16:9. The quality is ok. Not as good as on a tube but ok. I'm not really sure how it compares to other HDTVs since this is my first one. I was connected via a comcast HD DVR set top box going out DVI and in HDMI to the TV.

I do have an important observation on this subject: Since I wrote the above review, I have added a cable card to the mix. Watching normal TV was better in this mode. In fact watching all channels (including HD) was better in this mode. With the cable card, the signal is direct to the TV and I assume it does all the processing rather than the set top box. There was less signal degradation and noise effects. If watch live TV, I will watch it via the TV input using the cable card. There are several advantages to this: Clearly better picture quality of Non-HD content, a better more consistent signal for HD content. For SD channels, you can also use the twin view feature to watch more than 1 channel which works out great for college football saturdays. I don't have the sound output from the TV going to my sound system right now but that would be another step to complets this setup.

For program guide and DVR capabilities (as well as On Demand and Pay per view) I use the set top box input. They can both be hooked up at the same time - you just have to setup a splitter on the cable wire.]]>Oct 30th 2005 1:18AM